


I'm Dreaming of a Non-Archetypal Holiday

by KipRussel



Category: Control (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, ahti is ahti (which means hes fantastic), arish is having a day but like in a good way, central research is a pretty place, emily pope: extremely competitive and not afraid to infodump, i need to just actually speak to some fins ekjhsjhfkjshfkhdf, if i butcher finnish metaphors im so sorry, jesse faden is a known dork, just pure nonsensical fun time fluff, langston does improv poetry, literal snow day for everyone, must there be plot? is it not enough to simply have a snow day, no beta readers we die like we got a mail tube thrown at our head, paranatural abilities in snowball fights is CHEATING, raya underhill is a good egg, there's like no plot and just chances for the chars to have fun and interact, this was purely just an excuse to let everyone have fun, underneath all that laser focus and bluntness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-13
Updated: 2021-01-13
Packaged: 2021-03-17 13:21:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28725783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KipRussel/pseuds/KipRussel
Summary: It’s quite a sight, to be sure— a fresh blanket of snow in the Bureau. It hangs on the redwoods in the middle of the room, landing without a sound on the ground, being shoveled and pushed by groups of rangers to make walkways for ease of access. Researchers mill about, poking and prodding at the newest oddity in their workplace. Jesse can sense the excitement and awe radiating off of them, just like the gathering of employees at the top of the steps. She feels it herself, honestly. The possibility of an honest to goodness snow day?
Relationships: Emily Pope & Simon Arish, Jesse Faden & Ahti, Jesse Faden & Emily Pope, Simon Arish & Jesse Faden
Comments: 20
Kudos: 41





	I'm Dreaming of a Non-Archetypal Holiday

**Author's Note:**

> (there is no real plot here, it is just a fun snow day romp!)

The rumor spreads quickly through the House— hushed whispers and unofficial correspondence, no matter how hard research tries to keep things confidential. Before they know it, a small gaggle of employees are milling about one of the upper levels of Central Research, only stopped by the Rangers holding the line. They stand on their toes to peer over shoulders and cement, failing entirely to act any sort of casual, especially as more and more arrive. What excuse do any of them having to all be here at the same time, unless they heard about the AWE somehow? The elevator keeps being called away, only to return full of more curious Bureau agents.

Jesse watches them with barely-contained amusement behind the Bureau-brand, plain white caution tape.

“That really didn’t take long,” she smiles, arms crossed over her chest.

“Can you blame them?” Arish shrugs, standing next to her at the top of the steps. Both are watching the researchers below, feeling a bit useless, if not just as excited as their coworkers gathering up against the caution tape. “After being trapped inside all this time? Sure, the House is huge and varied, but this is a nice change. Maybe. If they figure out it’s safe.”

“It better be. We really don’t need anything else on top of the Hiss _and_ the Mold,” Jesse sighs.

“The Clog. Escaped Items and OOPs,” Arish lists on his fingers. “Actual _physical_ darkness in Investigations. Whatever happened to cause those quakes. Emil Hartman—”

“Okay, yeah. We all really do need a vacation.”

“You think Emily knows that’s why we’re all gathering up here?”

Down at the bottom floor, Emily looks up to them as if on cue, peering through a HAZMAT suit. She points at Jesse and waves her down, giving her a thumbs up.

“How did she do that?” Arish whispers. Jesse takes a leap and dashes down the stairs, floating gently down to land in front of her Head of Research. Underneath her boots, a growing layer of white crunches against the tile. Flakes filter down from seemingly nowhere, sticking to her hair and jacket melting away.

It’s quite a sight, to be sure— a fresh blanket of snow in the Bureau. It hangs on the redwoods in the middle of the room, landing without a sound on the ground, being shoveled and pushed by groups of rangers to make walkways for ease of access. Researchers mill about, poking and prodding at the newest oddity in their workplace. Jesse can sense the excitement and awe radiating off of them, just like the gathering of employees at the top of the steps. She feels it herself, honestly. The possibility of an honest to goodness snow day?

“So it’s all clear?” she grins at Emily. “I mean. Obviously. You wouldn’t have called me down like this otherwise. And. You know,” Jesse gestures sheepishly toward Emily as she helps another researcher undo their HAZMAT gear and step out.

“We’re clear! We still don’t know what to call it, but it’s harmless, as far as we can tell, and we’ve been thorough.” Emily slings off the rest of her protective gear, gathering it up in her arms as she turns to face Jesse.

“So it’s… not snow?” Jesse asks, confused.

“Not at all,” Emily beams, smiling from ear to ear. “We’ve never seen anything like it, certainly not in the House. It really is just _unheard_ of, we—” she stops short, both snapping to look at the top of the stairs, shouts echoing down the stone steps.

“Sorry, I just wanted to see—” some office worker babbles, hands up as they back away from the tape, now fluttering to the ground, knocked loose from where it was tied.

“You have to wait for the all clear,” a Ranger projects in response, calm but commanding, copying their movements. “I know all of you heard about this _somehow_ , but you can’t just wander down without knowing what this stuff is.”

“The Director looks okay,” someone mumbles.

“They took off their gear, that means it’s safe, right?” another chimes.

“Have they said anything? I’m just curious. It uh— relates to my study.”

More and more begin to tentatively join the chorus. The Ranger shoots Arish a concerned glance, who echoes the same sentiment, looking between Jesse and Emily.

Emily has to bite back a smile, turning back to face her.

“I guess we should… let staff go about business as usual.”

“Business as usual,” Jesse nods, twinkle in her eye. She cups her hands around her mouth to call back to Arish. “It’s all clear! People can come down if they want!”

(The caution tape doesn’t stand a chance).

Nobody genuinely has any excuse for why they’re there, but no one needs one. Arish is the first down, joining Jesse and Emily in the not-snow before the crowd can reach the bottom floor.

“So! Snowing in the Bureau—”

“It’s not snow,” the two chorus in response. Arish blinks in surprise.

“Okay. It’s snowing _something_ in the Bureau. And it’s not about to like. Melt our faces or possess us or make us all want to eat it and turn it into zombies.”

“No, Chief Arish, it’s not Mold,” Raya Underhill answers, folding her protective gear under her arm. Jesse elbows Emily, and the two peel off from the group as Underhill comes forward. Arish straightens some, evidently not having noticed the researcher’s presence. “For once the House truly has given us all a break.” He catches the slightest smile in her eye, and dips his head in agreement.

“A vacation I am sure we all really need,” he grins, watching as his coworkers flood into the common area— some tentative, careful to even step out onto the “snow”, whereas others are already mounding it up into piles— discussing, planning.

“Hardly a vacation while you’re still in the building. But with all things considered, I suppose it’ll have to do.”

“Yeah, I’ll take what I can get. Not everyday you—” Arish is cut off rather abruptly by taking a not-snowball directly to the face. He stumbles backward, feet slipping, shoes giving him no traction, and he lands square on his butt in the snow. Underhill hardly manages to keep her jaw from dropping, clapping a hand over her mouth in surprise, head snapping toward the source.

Emily Pope is hiding her face in her hands, shoulders shaking with laughter. Jesse is next to her, grinning wildly, a second snowball already in her hand.

“What if you would’ve hit Raya? That would’ve been terrible,” Emily whispers, wheezing with laughter.

“There’s no way I would’ve hit Raya,” she whispers back, barely keeping it together herself. “Did you see that shot?” Other staff are either staring on in shock, pointing at the now-prone Security Chief, or already scooping up their own not-snowballs.

Emily slides her hands down her face, peeking between her fingers, wiping tears from her eyes, just in time to see Arish winding up. She squeals, ducking lower, holding her hands out in front of her. In a flurry of snow (not-snow), Jesse pulls up a shield, and it shatters into powder and dust as the not-snowball collides with it.

“Cheater!” Arish yells. Underhill rolls her eyes.

“Children, all of you,” she shakes her head, moving off to the side with the other staff avoiding the fight. More and more not-snowballs are flying now, soaring through the air, smacking walls and tables and chairs and plants and people. Jesse drops the shield, pushing it lamely toward Arish.

“How is it cheating?” she laughs.

“ _How is it_ — you—” he stops, catching Emily in the corner of his eye. She misses him with her shot, _just barely_ , as he dives back down toward the ground, swearing in amazement.

“Give me cover, Jesse,” she scowls, already scooping up another handful. Jesse doesn’t hesitate, and pulls up a shield of loose snow again.

“ _CHEATING!”_ Arish yells, scrambling to join a grow group of coworkers who’ve now flipped a cafeteria table on its side.

“Welcome to the fight,” a researcher nods.

“Nice landing earlier,” another security officer tells him.

“Thank you,” Arish nods sarcastically. “Let’s get her back for that one, yeah?”

* * *

The Great Bureau Not-Snowball Battle winds down abruptly, as now-soaked agents find seats anywhere they can, energy long gone from the (rather legendary) battle. Not many staff can claim they fought alongside the Director and Head of Research against the Chief of Security. Granted, it was all a snowball battle. But a snowball battle that involved two _very_ competitive heads and a Director with no qualms about a little parautilitarian trickery.

Emily is sat on the floor in the not-snow, head leaning on her knees, Arish perched on the edge of the redwood planter above her. Jesse is helping some staff in the cafeteria, hoisting in coffee makers and supplies from other sectors, trying to coordinate enough hot drinks to get served to combat the increasingly-chilly temps. Arish stretches out on the planter longways, laying with his back flat against the snowy concrete.

“You’re going to get soaked,” Emily says, peeking up from her knees.

“I am soaked. You cheater,” Arish smiles.

“You just can’t get over the fact that I’m a good throw.”

“No, I can’t get over the fact that you’d use Jesse’s powers to your advantage.”

“I wanted to win!”

“Me too!” Arish protests, sitting back up, still grinning from ear to ear. Emily leans her head back against the concrete.

“Sorry, by the way.”

“I’m just giving you a hard time, no worries.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever had that much fun in the Bureau before,” Emily muses. “Like… non-work related fun. Though I guess this is work related. We’re just… studying the effects of this Threshold.”

“Yeah? Me too, more or less.” Arish scans the crowds in the room, looking for familiar faces. More people have begun to trickle in, amazed that the not-snow is still falling. 

Security keeps pushing it into piles against the walls, making sure paths are clear and people can get around. Some people have started making snowmen (and snow-Boards, snow-bosses, and…)

“You think Underhill considers that,” Arish points across the room, “studying the Threshold too?”

Emily hoists herself back into a sitting position, scanning the room for her fellow scientist. She spots her, finally, after doing a double take. She expected to find Raya helping Jesse with the drinks, or maybe on the steps, observing the scene. But there she is, scooping up snow with some Parapsychology staffers, carefully packing together a snow sculpture.

“I guess so. I’m glad she’s taking a break from the Mold. She works non-stop,” Emily says.

“Like you?” Arish replies pointedly.

“I— you— I mean…” Emily sputters. “She’s only _sort of_ taking a break. Did you notice what she’s sculpting?”

Arish tilts his head in confusion, leaning closer and squinting.

Raya Underhill has constructed an impressively accurate sculpture of Mold-1. Parapsychology staff are gathered around her, listening eagerly, as she points out parts of the not-snow, not-Mold-1, explaining its anatomy.

Arish lays back down on the planter, staring up at the redwood branches and falling flakes.

“At the end of the day, I really love this place, you know?”

* * *

The cafeteria is fuller than it's ever been, trying to accommodate staff from all sectors. A line is slowly forming at the various counters and tables where Jesse and crew have set up coffee makers and kettles. The rationing team, somehow, managed to find stashes of hot chocolate, which feels like a wonderful moment of serendipity. People are having a hard time finding a place to sit down, with so many coming to marvel at this new, beautiful, harmless moment of House-weirdness. Not to mention half of the people involved in the snowball fight stole tables to use as cover.

They’ll just clean it up later. The fun, right now, is what matters.

 _It’s so worth it,_ Jesse thinks, shoving her hands in her pockets to stay warm, glancing around the room.

“A snow day,” Ahti mumbles. He appears from seemingly nowhere at Jesse’s side. She’s already learned not to jump at his appearances. “A vacation! For the Bureau.”

“Yeah,” Jesse says, still staring out over blanketing snow. “I think everyone needed this break.”

“Break. But then the clean up.” Ahti mumbles something she doesn’t quite catch. “Snow melt, in here of all places. So much to mop, and the plants, the mess.”

“I’ll get it. Director cleans up after the party, yeah?” She glances sideways at Ahti, who’s standing at her elbow, leaning on a mop handle. He chuckles.

“No stress. No pests here. Emergency does not look like this, yes. You are doing just fine. A proper assistant. Competent.” He reaches up a hand to pat her shoulder. Jesse doesn’t always have an easy time tracking what the janitor says, but she always understands, somehow. A bit like how she understands Polaris. It just comes, inherently. It makes sense.

“Thanks, Ahti,” she smiles.

“Mmm. I will take my coffee break now,” he gestures to the growing line, toward Arish, who’s just joined in the procession. “My break buddy is here.”

* * *

Emily is leisurely scrawling notes on scrap paper, sat on the stairs, when Langston bumps into her. Quite literally, in fact, as he stumbles over his feet, not having seen her, too busy staring out in awe at the twinkling snow sheet.

“Oh, my gosh, Pope, I’m sorry, I didn’t see— I was looking at— all the—”

“It’s _so_ amazing, isn’t it?” she beams, seemingly unaware that he nearly tripped over her.

“Oh! Yes! It’s incredible!” He carefully lowers himself down to sit next to her on the steps. “What even is it? Is it safe? It won’t like, mess up our HRAs or anything? Like, short circuit them, or something?”

“It’s perfectly safe! Nothing to worry about, promise,” she leans toward him, showing him her notes. (He hardly understands them, but he looks anyway). “It _is_ a crystalline structure, like snow, but it seems to have a lower freezing temperature. It should’ve all melted instantly in here, once it touched the ground, but the fact that any of it is sticking is _fascinating_. And it’s not water, obviously. Or, it is water, just not in the way we’re familiar with it.” Langston gives her an odd look.

“It’s not. Threshold water, is it? The type with the uh… chunks in it?”

“No!” Emily laughs, then tilts her head. “I don’t think so. I suppose it could be. We’ve not tested the freezing and boiling capacities of that Threshold. I’ll have to look into that.”

“Well, regardless, I’m not really in my snow clothes,” Langston gestures to his suit and tie. “I guess the Rangers are the best equipped for this. It really is beautiful to watch, though. Sometimes the paranatural surprises us in the best ways.”

“Yeah,” Emily says, and they both turn to take it all in. Langston drums his fingers against his knees, staring up toward the ceiling. He takes a deep, frigid breath, then starts:

“Whose home this is I do not know. 

This House is in my workplace though; 

They will not see me stopping here 

To watch their rooms fill up with snow.”

Emily turns to look at him.

“Robert Frost?”

“You got it. _Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening_ , Langston edition,” he smiles. “Or. Bureau edition. Oldest House edition.”

“I like it! Very fitting. I’ve never been great with poems.”

“Well hey, if you ever want book recommendations, let me know. I’ve got plenty of them. And if I ever need an answer about our non-potable water…”

“Yeah,” Emily snorts. “You know where to find me!”

* * *

It’s hard enough to track the hours within the Oldest House without being confined inside, away from the outside world. But Jesse wagers it must be close to 9 or 10 by the time the majority of the crowd has cleared. The room is beautifully silent, muffled in the way only sound can provide. Blissful— especially after spending days in halls filled with the white noise of Hiss agents.

The Director has claimed one of the cafeteria chairs, now all returned to their proper places, and is nursing the last of the coffee from today’s rations. A few of the security staff are helping Arish clear the pathways a final time, pushing the dirty snow off to the edges, and leaving behind the more beaten down snowpack. Emily vanished with a tiny team of researchers awhile ago, saying something about archetypes, snowmen, and cross checking dead letters.

Jesse had been watching the snowmen the Bureau made carefully all day, just in case. They all made excellent characters, lining the walls, dotting the floor, but none of them moved. Except the ones knocked over by some more rowdy staff members. She had to nix the idea of sledding on cafeteria trays pretty quick. No matter how fun it seemed.

Now, the snowmen outnumbered the staff, standing resolute, watching the cleanup. Jesse knows her break should be over soon, and she should get back to prepping for when the not-snow finally melts, but she leans back in her chair, soaking in the memory. She really did need this break— a day where her mind is on anything else. Where her muscles ache and her cheeks hurt from smiling. She feels a hopeful warmth blossom in her chest, but chalks it up to the hot coffee combatting the chill in the air.

It’s days like these that make it easier to see the light at the end of the tunnel. And she’ll take every single one of them the House gives her.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you alexa for this brilliant concept, ilysm <3 :]


End file.
